This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in carrier type packages of beverage bottles, or similar products, which employ a flat blank wrapped about a group of the bottles, arranged in longitudinal and traverse alignment, so as to form a tubular container with provision for retaining the bottles against movement in the container and for enabling the bottles to be removed and permitting empty bottles to be returned to the container, without destroying the carrying capabilities of the container.
In the packaging of bottled and canned beverages, two types of carton or carrier structures have achieved extensive use in the beverage marketing industry, namely, the cellular basket type, which is particularly adaptable for multi-trip use with products in returnable bottles, and the single trip, disposable, wrap around type, which has been most often employed with products in non-returnable containers, particularly canned beverages since it employs less material and is more economical for one trip disposable use, than the basket type. Initially, the packaging of bottles in the wrap around blank presented a retention problem because of the bottle shape at the top. However, the provision of bottle retention apertures together with provision for a tight wrap solved that problem. Recently, there has been a demand for elimination of the disposable bottles which has resulted in the return to the marketing of beverages in the returnable bottles. This in turn has created a demand for some arrangement for inducing the consumer to return to the distributor both the disposable and non-disposable type for re-use or re-cycling. In response to such demands an effort has been made to develop a wrap around type package which will enable the bottles to be removed and replaced without mutilating the container to an extent which would render it unfit for the purpose of carrying the empty bottles on a return trip to the distributor.
It is a general object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a package adapted for the marketing of bottled products which can be formed by wrapping a blank of paperboard, or similar foldable sheet material, about a group of either disposable or returnable bottles so as to confine the bottles initially while permitting the consumer to remove a sufficient portion of the packaging material to readily remove the bottles from the package without destruction of its bottle retaining and carryiing capabilities and to permit the empty bottles to be placed therein for return to the distributor.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a carrier type package for marketing bottled beverages, or other bottled products, which employ a blank of paperboard, or similar foldable sheet material, which is cut and scored so that it may be wrapped, in the form of a tubular container, about a group of the bottles, arranged in double row and transversely paired alignment, with provision for retaining the bottles against movement out of the container thus formed and for tearing away a portion of the top panel thereby enabling the bottles to be readily removed without destroying the bottle retaining and carrying characteristics of the carrying container and enabling the bottles, when emptied, to be replaced in the container for convenience in returning them to the distributor.
Another object of the invention is to provide a wrap around type bottle package with provision for restraining the bottles against accidental removal from the wrapper and with provision for tearing out a portion of the top wall of the package thereby enabling the ready removal and replacement of the bottles without destroying the container or carton forming characteristic of the wrapper and with the carton having therein a combination partition and handle construction which is interlocked with the bottom wall and separates the rows of bottles in the package and which is accessible when the top wall portion is torn out.
To this end, the invention as claimed herein is embodied in a package which employs a blank of paperboard, or other suitable foldable sheet or web material, which is cut and scored to enable it to be wrapped about a group of bottles which are arranged in double row, transversely paired and longitudinal alignment, with means for retaining the bottles in position in the tubular container formed by the wrapper and with a removable wall portion at the top for enabling bottles to be removed and replaced, and a partition and handle structure disposed in a vertical plane in the interior of the tubular carrying container which becomes accessible upon removing the top wall portion so as to maintain the carrying capabilities of the container.
The aforesaid objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when reference is made to the accompanying detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which are set forth therein by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout.